It used to be that kids went outside and played for hours on end. They would run around, kick a football, or do whatever else made them happy. That's no longer the case. And guess what? It's not just the kids. Even adults are prone to less physical activity. That tells us that sports nutrition products are more important than ever before.
Sports nutrition products are ideal for vending machines located in gyms and leisure centres. But as an expert in this business, we know that we are not limited to places where people go to exercise. Healthy vending machines do very well in plenty of other locations. Think hospitals, schools, etc.
Falling Activity and Poor Diets
A recent Plusnet survey that sought to discover how many people play video games as opposed to actual sports revealed some surprising results. Among 1,001 survey respondents, 72% acknowledged preferring to sit on the sofa and play a football game rather than go outside and participate in a real game.
More than 30% of the respondents claimed they preferred video gaming because it allowed them to play as skilled professionals. Is it any wonder that the competitive gaming industry – yes, there are people who make a living playing video games – pays out tens of millions in prizes every year?
If that's not enough to convince you of the importance of sports nutrition, consider statistics from the National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) released early in 2018. The statistics show that 4-to-10-year-olds consume upwards of 13.5% of their total dietary intake as sugar. The number is 14.1% for kids between 11 and 18. Official government guidelines say total sugar intake should be no more than 5% daily.
The good news is that sugar consumption has fallen among children in recent years. But we can do better. The NDNS showed that adults are still consuming too much saturated fat and too little fibre. They aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables either.
Every Little Bit Helps
It's clear that things still aren't where they need to be in terms of diet and exercise. And no, we don't live under the illusion that sports nutrition products and healthy vending machines are a magic solution. However, vending machines with healthier products are a step in the right direction. In the war against obesity and diet-related disease, every little bit helps.
Well-placed vending machines filled with sports nutrition products can help people make healthier choices. We have demonstrated that in previous blog posts with hard data. So really, it's just a matter of property owners having the will to embrace healthier vending options.
If you'd like to learn more about Nutrivend and sports nutrition, please don't hesitate to contact us. We've been in the sports nutrition business for over 15 years. We've been offering vending solutions since 2012. We can get you set up with a solution that helps your bottom line and gives your customers healthier options.
Sources:
1. Real Sport – https://realsport101.com/news/sports/esports/7-in-10-fans-prefer-playing-football-video-games-more-than-the-sport-itself/
2. GOV.UK – https://www.gov.uk/government/news/phe-publishes-latest-data-on-nations-diet
